Chaos erupted in the Wang household.
Madam Gao, Pang Yulou, and a group of maids and servants rushed to Wang Madam Xu’s side. They pinched her philtrum and applied cold compresses to her face until she finally regained consciousness.
Weakly, she instructed those around her, “Don’t tell the young mistress about this!”
Everyone naturally responded with respectful agreement.
Still not quite believing it, she asked her two daughters-in-law, “Did Ming’er say such things?”
Madam Gao and Pang Yulou nodded slightly.
Wang Madam Xu burst into tears. “What sin have I committed? I’ve painstakingly raised an ungrateful child who no longer recognizes her mother. Is there anyone in this world who treats their parents like this? Why doesn’t the Dou family intervene? Will they just allow her to mistreat her mother like this? Didn’t they claim to be a family of etiquette and propriety? I’ve always put Ming’er before my grandchildren. What was it all for? It was to make up for my guilt towards Yingxue! Otherwise, why would a Dou be allowed to boss around and show off in our Wang family?” She continued ranting and called for Madam Gao, “Go ask Ming’er personally once more if she’s determined not to acknowledge Yingxue. If she doesn’t recognize Yingxue, she shouldn’t expect our Wang family to care for her affairs anymore. I’ll treat it as if Yingxue has lost her husband and child. She’ll have no more connection to our Wang family!”
Madam Gao truly didn’t want to face the Wei family again, but she couldn’t disobey her mother-in-law’s orders. She reluctantly agreed.
Pang Yulou, however, seemed to revel in the chaos. She advised Wang Madam Xu, “Mother, sending Sister-in-law to question Ming’er will only invite more humiliation! When Ming’er said those things, it wasn’t just me, my Sister-in-law, and my nephew’s wife who were present. The Dou family members were there too. Even the Fifth Madam was stunned and asked her several times, ‘How can you disregard your mother who carried you for ten months?’ Ming’er showed no regret or hesitation. What’s the point of sending Sister-in-law to ask again? You don’t think we’d lie to you, do you? If you don’t believe us, you can send someone to ask the Dou family. Why rush to the Jining Marquis Manor to lose face?”
Wang Madam Xu froze, then slumped against the large pillow in defeat.
However, they couldn’t keep this matter from Wang Yingxue, who was concerned about her daughter’s dowry.
Wang Yingxue stared at Nanny Hu with wide eyes, her face pale as snow. “Impossible. My Ming’er would never say such things! This must be Madam Pang slandering Ming’er to my mother. I must go and clarify this!”
Wang Yingxue made to rush out the door.
Nanny Hu grabbed her, trying to persuade her, “My good madam, even if the Second Madam is deceiving you, would the First Madam join in the lie? The Fifth Young Mistress must have her reasons for doing this. Just wait patiently. Once things settle down in a few days, she’ll come to see you.”
Is that so? Wang Yingxue asked herself. Her heart ached unbearably, and the situation was far more complicated than they imagined.
Before long, rumors began to circulate that Dou Ming was an illegitimate child, even connecting Wang Yousheng’s promotion, Zhao Guqiu’s death, and Dou Zhao’s dowry.
But as usual with rumors, the people involved are often the last to know.
Dou Zhao was unaware of the trouble brewing as she sat at home.
She and Chen Qushui were investigating the backgrounds of the stewards in the outer courtyard and the grandfathers and grandmothers behind the group of “Fu” generation girls.
“It’s truly eye-opening,” Dou Zhao couldn’t help but sigh. “On the surface, these people seem unrelated, but when you trace back to their grandfathers and grandmothers, you discover they’re all distant relatives, like an old tree with intertwining roots, supporting the daily operations of the Duke Ying’s manor. How did the Duke dare to rashly dismiss those stewards and servants?”
Chen Qushui was also somewhat dumbfounded.
Looking at the names, he said with a shiver, “Fufeng’s grandmother served two generations of Duke’s wives, only returning to her son’s side for honored retirement when Madam Lu passed away, as arranged by Madam Jiang. Fuye’s grandmother once served alongside Fufeng’s grandmother in the inner court, attending to Madam Lu. Then there’s this Fuxue, who comes from a large family with many siblings. It appears they sent him here seeking a livelihood because they couldn’t support him, but his grandfather was once an attendant to the old Duke and even saved his life. Because of a lame leg, he couldn’t do heavy work, so he ended up living on the estate with his son…”
“They’re all old retainers highly valued by Madam Lu and the old Duke before Madam Jiang’s time,” Dou Zhao said gravely. “So after Madam Jiang took charge of the household, did she replace them all with her people? Or did those who remained in the manor fall victim to Song Yichun’s purge?”
Thinking of these people’s fates, both fell silent for a long while.
Chen Qushui sighed, “If we want to inquire about the old Duke’s affairs, they would surely provide accurate answers. But for matters concerning Madam Jiang, I’m afraid they won’t be of much use.”
Dou Zhao, however, didn’t think so.
She smiled and said, “Every effect has a cause. We might be able to uncover Madam Jiang’s affairs by investigating the old Duke.”
“Oh!” Chen Qushui knew Dou Zhao always had her reasons and perked up at her words.
Dou Zhao continued, “Logically, even if Duke Ying didn’t understand household management, he should have found a trusted man to help him. So why was it Madam Jiang who managed the affairs of Duke Ying’s manor before?”
Chen Qushui’s eyes lit up. “How did I not think of that?”
Dou Zhao couldn’t help but smile.
Chen Qushui hadn’t considered it not because he lacked insight, but because he had grown accustomed to her strong personality after being with her for so long. He no longer found it unusual for a woman to manage a household.
She said, “I’ve always wondered why Duke Ying changed so drastically after Madam Jiang’s death. Was it his true nature, always pretending in front of Madam Jiang? Or was there something that provoked him? If it’s the former, why would he fear Madam Jiang? If it’s the latter, what happened to him?”
Chen Qushui replied, “I think the former is more likely. When Madam Jiang was managing the household, the old Duke was still alive. If Madam Jiang had been using her position to intimidate others, the old Duke wouldn’t have calmly handed over the family affairs to her…”
Dou Zhao smiled, “You see, this brings us back to the old Duke. The grandparents of Fuye and Fufeng should know something about this, more or less.”
Chen Qushui nodded.
The two discussed how to visit these people.
When Song Mo returned home, his first question was “Where is the madam?” Upon learning that Dou Zhao had spent the morning dealing with household matters and had been talking with Chen Qushui in the small study all afternoon, with no visitors, he inexplicably felt relieved.
Wei Tingyu was truly hopeless.
Initially, he had chosen Dou Ming, breaking off the engagement with Dou Zhao. Now he was causing trouble for Dou Ming, claiming he was an illegitimate child.
What was he trying to achieve?
Did he regret giving up Dou Zhao after marriage, realizing the beauty in his arms was most attractive in paintings? Or did he learn about Dou Zhao’s ownership of half of the Western Dou estate and want to revisit past matters out of greed?
How could he not consider whether he could stir up such waves?
Song Mo changed into his usual bright blue Hangzhou silk robe, his jade-like face looking somewhat gloomy.
Ganlu was startled and hurriedly said, “Young Master, I’ll go invite the madam over right away.”
She thought he was upset about Dou Zhao and Chen Qushui’s private conversation in the small study.
“No need,” Song Mo frowned and said, “The madam is talking with Mr. Chen. Don’t disturb them.”
Really no need?
Ganlu respectfully agreed but hesitated inwardly.
Song Mo waved his hand, gesturing for her to withdraw. He sat alone by the kang table, stroking his chin in deep thought.
Ganlu decided to inform the madam anyway.
When Chen Qushui heard that Song Mo had returned, he naturally couldn’t stay in the small study any longer.
He went with Dou Zhao to see Song Mo and politely took his leave.
Song Mo courteously saw him off to the door.
Dou Zhao had already heard from Ganlu about Song Mo’s bad mood. Seeing him return, she smiled and took his arm, tilting her head to look at him. “Did something happen today? Why do you look so gloomy, as if it’s about to rain?”
Song Mo chuckled and said, “Don’t listen to those maids making a mountain out of a molehill. I’m just a bit tired and don’t feel like talking.” He then reached to touch her belly and asked softly, “Has the child been good today?”
“The child has been very good!” After the first three months of pregnancy, Dou Zhao could eat and sleep well and had even gained some weight. “Following Aunt’s instructions, Gaoxing’s family reminds me to walk three laps in the courtyard every day. Now I even know exactly how many trees are behind our backyard.”
Song Mo smiled and said, “Gaoxing’s family is doing a good job. They deserve a reward!”
Dou Zhao giggled and asked him, “What did you do today?”
“Nothing much,” Song Mo replied. “Yu Gu went to the palace to pay respects to the Empress. He, Gao Yuanhua, and I had a late afternoon tea. Later, Dong Qi came and invited us to have dinner at Zuixian Lou. Gao Yuanhua didn’t want to go because he felt we’d run into too many acquaintances there. So Dong Qi suggested going to Little Li’s private kitchen in Qianfo Temple Alley. But Yu Gu objected, saying we might as well go to the newly opened Wanchun Lou outside Chaoyang Gate. Gao Yuanhua thought that was too far. We stood there for a long time unable to decide. In the end, the Emperor summoned Gao Yuanhua for questioning. Yu Gu and I didn’t feel like socializing with Dong Qi, so we dispersed.”
Dou Zhao asked curiously, “Why didn’t Yu Gu come back with you?”
Song Mo smiled and said, “He rode in my carriage to the main gate, but was stopped by his family’s servant, saying his fourth brother wasn’t well and the Baron of Yunyang wanted him to return home quickly to check on him.”
Yu Gu had three younger half-brothers, and the fourth one, only three years old this year, had been sickly since birth.
Dou Zhao asked, “Should we send someone to check on them?”
“I’ve already sent someone to follow up. If things aren’t good, they’ll send word back,” Song Mo replied.
Dou Zhao then inquired about Yu Gu’s marriage prospects, “Has it been decided who he’ll marry?”
Song Mo said, “Today, Yu Gu went to the palace to gauge the Empress’s opinion. Unexpectedly, Her Majesty said that as long as Yu Gu likes the girl, her background doesn’t matter. Yu Gu was telling me about this in the carriage earlier. From what he said, it seems the Baron of Yunyang intends to arrange a marriage with the eleventh daughter of the Baron of Yongen, but Yu Gu isn’t very satisfied.” He shook his head and continued, “He had hoped to use the Empress’s influence, but Her Majesty’s response was unexpected.”